Building construction



July 28, 1925. 1,547,249

G.L.HLUAMS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 28, 1925.

' G. L. WILLIAMS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 24, 1923 2 hee h t 2 .25 ,W6 M9 1 m a 5 7 1 Z ml 0N1 1 7O 12/ .10 I F aff- Patented Jul-y 28,1925.

" UNIT D STATES", P TEN OFFICE.

enonen LESTER WILLI MS. or SQU'TH ounce, JERSEY, nssrenoa TO one TRUDE STEWART, or PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

BUILDING oqNsTnUcTIom Ap plication'fl1e(1 February 24, 1923. Serial No. 620,957.

specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. I

This invention relates to a building construction and particularly to a substantially monolithic ceiling composedof a precast slab of gypsum or like plastic material. The invention has for its object to provide a superior precast ceiling slab with which the substantially monolithic ceiling may be formed. which is constructed so as 5 to be suspended'from the metal floor frame of the building, which can be placed in position in a minimum time, which cooperates with adjacent slabs to form a flush ceiling, which efliciently protectsthe metal floor frame from fire below the same and which provides for a plastic key for the plaster coat applied to its under surface. Tothis end, the ceiling slab is constructed as will'be hereinafter described The particular features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification. I

Fig. 1 represents a sufiicient portion of a building embodying this invention to enable it to be understood; Fig. 2, a view in section and'elevation of a ortion of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

ig. 3. a plan of aprecast ceiling slab.

. .shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

ceiling slab shown in Fig. 4, a detail 1n section of two adjacent ceiling slabs with the plastercoat applied thereto;

' Fig. 5, a side elevatiii n of a portionof the ga Fig. 6, aplan of a. modified form of ceilingslab;and 1 Fig. 7 a detail in section on the line 7-7, F s- I .f In Fig. 1 isrepresented a portion ofthe metal floor frame of a building which is provided with precast ceiling slabs of gypsum or like-materialembodying this invention. I

The floor'frame comprisesv metal girders a, only one of which is shown, and metal beams 12 which are supported at their ends 4 by said girders and only two of which are shown.

The metal beams b are hereinshown as channel bars and in accordance with this invention, they support ceiling slabs 0. The ceiling slabs c-areprecast and are composed of gypsum or like plastic material and each slab is preferably provided with a metal reenforcement. herein shown as a series of metal rods or bars 10;

e ceiling slabs'c are provided with anchoring devices 12 by means of which the slabs may be suspended fromthe beams b. The anchoring devices 12' may be of any suitable-construction and in Figs; 1, 2 and 3 are shown as hooks, whose lower ends are embedded in the slab c and preferably engaged. with themetal reenforcement 10 therein, whereas in Figs. 6 and 7 the anchoring devices 12 are shown as metal strips which are folded to forma loop 13 above the slab and arms 14 within the slab.

In the present instance, the anchoring devices 12 areengagedby wires or rods 15 16, which are engaged with a metal clip 17 extended over the top of a beam 1).

The metal clips 17 are-placed'upon the beam b, and the slab 0 can be lifted by the wires or rods 15. 16 whose ends are engaged with the clips. In. the present case, the free end of the wire15 may be passed through a hole 18 inthe' clip 17 and then bent to prevent"disengagement from the clip, and the free end of the wire 16 may be bent to form a hook 19 which engages a link 20 whose upper end is engaged with an arm 21 on the clip'before said arm 'ispressed ,against the under side of the upper flange of the beam.

The'anchoring devices are located with relation to the ends of'the slab, so that a portion of the ends of two adjacent slabs are located below the lower surface of the beam and preferably contact, so that the bottom of the beam is protected against fire by the adjacent slabs, which are of substantial thickness.

To still further protect the bottomof the beam. from fire, provision is'madefor sealing the joint between the end walls of; adjacent slabs. and to this endthejceiling slab c rovided at one end'with a rabbet 22 which is formed in the upper surface thereof and is made wide enough to extend beyond the bottom surface of the beam when fill the space between the ends of the slabsand also fill the rabbet, and thus seal the joint between the ends of the slabs and most effectively protect the bottom surface of the beam from fire below the beam. Provlslon is also made for enabling-the rabbeted end of the slab to be quickly positioned and yet have its lower surface flush with the iinder surface of the adjacent slab, and to this end, the rabbeted end of the slab is provided with one or more projections or stops 24:, herein shown as two in number and located near the opposite sides of the slab. Thestops 2% have their uppersurface level with the upper surface of the slab, so that, when the slab is lifted into position with its rabbeted end below the beam, the stops 24 will engage the bottom surface of the beam and thereby place the bottom surface of its slab flush or substantially flush with the bottom surface of the adjacent slab.

It will thus be seen that the slabs can be quickly and easily placed in position with their under surfaces flush or substantially flush and delicate adjustment of the slabs by the hangers or suspending wires'15, 16 is avoided.

\ The slabs 0 are provided on their sides with ribs 25 located below the upper surface and near the lower surface and preferably provided with beveled upper and lower sur'-. faces 26, 27. The side ribs 25 of adjacent slabsare designed to contact as represented in Fig. 4, and cooperate to form an open slot between the upper portion of thesides of adjacent slabs for the reception of grout or plastic material 28, which fills said slot and cooperates with the side ribs-to seal the joint between the sides of adjacent slabs and form a fire stop between the sides of adjacent slabs.

The beveled lower surfaces 27 of cooperating side ribs 25 form a slot below the side ribs for the reception of a key 29 of, plastic material which serves to bond the plaster coat 30 to the slabs, and also cooperates with the side ribsand the grout 28 to form the fire stop between the sides of adjacent slabs.

From the above description and by reference to the drawing, it will be seen that the floors of a building may be provided with a ceiling composed of precast slabs of gypsum or like plastic material with a minimum labor and in a minimum time, and that when said slabs have been'erected in place and joints grouted and sealed, a continuous or substantially monolithic ceiling is formed which effectively protects from fire the metal ing through the portion of the ceiling be-.

tween the metal members of the floor frame. In Figs. 1 and 2, is also shown precast slabs 31 of gypsum or like plastic material which rest upon the beams and form a floor of the building.

One embodiment of the invention is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particularconstruction shown.

the slab preferably with their lower ends a substantial distance above the bottom of the slab so as to be protected against fire by a substantial thickness of gypsum or like plastic material.

Claims: 1

1. A precast slab of plastic material having its upper surface provided at one end with a rabbet and with a projection extended from the bottom of said rabbet with its upper surface substantially flush with the upper surface of said slab. j

2. A precast slab of plastic material having its upperlsurface provided at one end with a rabbet and with a projection extended from the bottom of said rabbet with its upper surface substantially flush with the upper surface of said slab, and having its sides provided with ribs located below the upper surface of said slab.

3., A precast-slab of plastic. material having its upper surface provided stem end with a rabbet and with a projection extended from the bottom of said rabbet with its upper surface substantially flush with the upper surface of said slab, and having sides provided with ribs located below the upper surface of said slab and provided with a beveled under surface to form a key slot with the side rib of a cooperating slab.

4. In a building construction, in combination, a metal floor frame' having members spaced apart, a substantially monolithic ceiling suspended from said floor frame, and composed of a plurality of precast slabs of plastic material having the ends of adjacent slabs extended under a member of the floor frame and having side ribs located below the upper surface of said slabs, plastic material interposed between the floor member and one of the slabs thereunder and sealing the joint between the ends of the adjacent slabs under said floor .member, and plastic material between the sides of adjacent slabs and above the side ribs thereof to seal the joint The anchoring devices 12 are embedded in its.

below said floor frame and composed of a plurality of precast slabs of plastic material provided with metalreenforcements span-' ning the distance between two floor members,

and means connected with the reenforcemen't of the slabs at the opposite ends of the latter and with the upper portion of said floor members to suspend the ceiling slabs from said floor members.

6. In a building construction, in combination, a floor frame provided with a plurality tion. a floor frame provided with a plurality spaced apart and forming of floor members spaced apart and forming bays, and a continuous flat ceiling located'below and suspended from said floor members comprising a plurality of precast slabs of plastic material ofsubstantial thickness and arranged with each slab spanning the bay between two of the floor members, each of the slabs being suspended at each of its ends only from a fioor member and-cooperating with the other slabs to form an efiective fireproofing for the How members. v

. 7. In a building construction, in combina tion, a floor frame provided with a plurality of floor members spaced apart and forming bays. and a continuous flat ceiling located below and suspended from saidfloor members and comprising aplurality of precast slabs of plastic material of substantial thickness and arrang'edwith each slab spanning the bay between two floor members and proximity to a floor member, and devices cooperating with the reen-forcement within said slabs 'near each end thereof for directly suspending the 'slab from the floor members immediately above each end of the same.

8. In a building construction, in combinaof floor members bays, a continuous fiat ceiling located below and suspended from said floor members com prising a plurality of precast slabs of'plastic material of substantial thickness and 'ar-' ranged with each slab spanning the bay between two of the floor members,iand means connecting the longitudinal reenforcement within the slab directly to the floor beams near the opposite ends of the slab.

In testimony whereof I-ha've signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE LESTER WILLIAMS.

with the ends of each slab terminating in 

